Problems · NHTSA complaints

2011 Nissan 370Z Roadster problems

Owners filed 40 complaints about the 2011 Nissan 370Z Roadster with NHTSA between Sep 2012 and Apr 2023. The most-cited component is steering (22).

Complaints
40
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Steering22
  2. Power train14
  3. Electrical system12
  4. Engine5
  5. Electronic stability control (esc)1
  6. Wheels1
  7. Service brakes, hydraulic1
  8. Service brakes1
  9. Fuel/propulsion system1
  10. Other / unknown1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20122
20130
20147
201513
20168
20175
20182
20191
20201
20210
20220
20231

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Steering

22 reports
“Steering lock module failure. Same issue as in 2016 (NHTSA tracking number 10929922). Car would not start. In city park and waited 4 hours for tow truck. By myself - 74 year old female. Getting dark and dealership closed. Had the exact part malfunction in 2016 and had to have it towed. Cost $1000 to fix back then. Nissan has had issues with this but has refused to recall it except for one model. This repair cost me $1400. Not just the money or inconvenience - it's dangerous. There is no way to start this car - it has to be towed!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 4, 2023SteeringODI 11515373

Power train

14 reports
“CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER WENT OUT AT AROUND 40K MILES. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH MANY OTHER 370 Z'S. I AM NOW WORRIED THAT I WILL NEED A THIRD CSC.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 18, 2018Power trainODI 11063429

Electrical system

12 reports
“FOR YEARS, THERE HAVE BEEN WIDESPREAD DEFECTS IN THE ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK (ESCL) THAT DISABLED THE PUSH-BUTTON IGNITION IN A WIDE RANGE OF NISSAN AND INFINITI VEHICLES. THE ESCL'S PRIMARY JOB IS TO KEEP THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UNTIL YOU BRING YOUR KEY FOB IN RANGE OF THE VEHICLE. IT'S MEANT TO PREVENT THEFT. HOWEVER, WHEN THE ESCL MALFUNCTIONS (EVEN WITH THE FOB PRESENT AND WORKING) THE ESCL WON'T DETECT IT AND, THEREFORE, WON'T RELEASE THE WHEEL. WHEN YOU PRESS THE START/STOP BUTTON TO START THE CAR, NOTHING HAPPENS. HOWEVER, THE "INTELLIGENT KEY WARNING LIGHT" SYMBOL COMES ON, INDICATING YOU HAVE A PROBLEM. NISSAN HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS ISSUE FO YEARS AND HAS ISSUED A VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN FOR VARIOUS MODELS. HOWEVER, THEY HAVE NOT DONE SO FOR THE 370Z, EVEN THOUGH THIS MODEL IS EXPERIENCING THE EXACT PROBLEM AS THE MODELS INCLUDED IN THE VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN. THIS MALFUNCTION HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GENERAL "WEAR & TEAR". THIS MALFUNCTION IS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE PART AND POOR ENGINEERING. I AM ASKING NHTSA TO ENCOURAGE NISSAN TO CONDUCT A VOLUNTARY OR MANDATORY RECALL TO ADDRESS AND CORRECT THIS ISSUE AT NO COST TO VEHICLE OWNERS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 2, 2019Steering, Electrical system, EngineODI 11205346

Engine

5 reports
“STEERING WHEEL LOCK SENSOR BROKE, FAILED IN LOCK POSITION, HAPPENS TO MOST EVERY NISSAN FOB KEY SYSTEM AT 1 TIME OR ANOTHER. THE DEALER CHARGED ME $1100.00 TO FIX AND IT TOOK THEM LESS THAN 2 HOURS. THIS IS A SCAM BY NISSAN AND THE INTERNET IS FULL OF PEOPLE COMPALINING ABOUT THIS ISSUE. IT LEFT ME STRANDED AND I HAD TO BE TOWED. PLEASE MAKE NISSAN START A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. WHEN THE STEERING LOCK FAILS IT WILL NOT ALLOW THE CAR TO START.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 6, 2017Electrical system, EngineODI 10970940

Electronic stability control (esc)

1 report
“I WAS LEFT STRANDED IN A PARKING LOT AFTER MY SECURITY STEERING LOCK MECHANISM LOCKED THE CAR AND WOULD NOT ALLOW IT TO TURN ON OR EVEN TO ACC MODE. SINCE THE CAR LOCKED UP, I HAVE TWO LIGHTS ON MY DASH THAT WILL NOT TURN OFF. I WAS STRANDED FOR HOURS AND COULD NOT GET AN AVAILABLE TOW TRUCK TO PICK MY CAR UP. AFTER SEVERAL HOURS, I WAS ABLE TO GET A FAMILY MEMBER TO DRIVE A LONG WAYS TO COME GET ME. MY CAR IS STILL IN THE PARKING LOT AND WAITING TO GET A TOW TRUCK TO PICK IT UP! ONLY ISSUE WITH THE TOW, MY CAR WON'T EVEN ALLOW THE SHIFTER TO MOVE INTO NEUTRAL! THE TOW COMPANY SAID THEY CAN'T PROMISE THE CAR CAN EVEN BE TOWED IF THEY CAN'T SAFELY STEER IT ONTO THE FLAT BAD TRUCK!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 28, 2017Steering, Electrical system, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 10948137

Wheels

1 report
“HAD TO GO GET EMERGENCY COUGH MEDICATION FOR SPOUSE AT 2:30AM. AFTER LEAVING WALGREEN, WAS UNABLE TO START MY CAR. THE KEY FOB HAS ENOUGH BATTERY POWER BUT THE ENGINE IGNITION STAYED ON "LOCK" AND COULD NOT DETECT KEY FOB. AFTER TRYING TO AN HOUR TO "GOOGLE" AND "YOUTUBE" AND TRIED EVERYTHING I COULD FIND TO FIX THE ISSUE BUT WITH NO LUCK. HAD TO CONTACT SPOUSE TO PICK ME UP AT 3:00AM. TOWED TO A MECHANIC BECAUSE AFTER CONTACTING 3 DIFFERENT NISSAN DEALERS AND CALLING THE NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS, LEARNED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS CASE. HOWEVER, BEEN READING PLENTY OF FORUM ON THE SAME THING FOR OTHER NISSAN 370ZS ON THIS VERY SAME INCIDENT. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE STEERING MODULE WAS MALFUNCTIONING AND REPLACED THE UNIT AFTER $1,431.46. + $28 TOWING FEE. I WAS FORTUNATE THAT I WAS IN A SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD ALTHOUGH IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. BUT I FEEL THAT THIS STEERING LOCK MALFUNCTION IS TOO COMMON TO NISSAN DEALERS AND THEIR CONSUMER AFFAIRS TO NOT LOOK IN TO. MILEAGE ON VEHICLE IS 33,387.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 30, 2016Steering, Electrical system, WheelsODI 10862320
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.